Recording-compass.



M. B. BENSON. mscoanme COMPASS. APPLICATION FILED APRJIS, 1914. 1,1 31,622, Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y.

M. B. BENSON. RECORDING COMPASS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 13, 1914. 1,1 31,622.

Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

2 SHEBTS-SHEET 2' THE NORRIS PETERS CO PHOTO-LITHQ. WASHINGTON, D, C.

UNITED srn'rns PATENT OFFICE.

MELVIN B. BENSON, or DUL TH, MiNNESOTA, ASSIGNOR. or ONE-HALF T e. ASHLEY roMLINsoN, or DULUTH, MINNESOTA.

RECORDING-COMPASS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

Application filed April 13, 1914. Serial No. 831,620.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MnLvIN B. BnNsoN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Duluth, in the county of St. Louis and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and useful Recording-Compass, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to recording compasses or course-recording devices, and has for its object the provision of simple, cheap wand eifective means for automatically recording the course or direction traveledduring a givenperiod, or at any time w1th1n such period, by a vessel, or other conveyance, or carrier whereon the device is carried and employed.

It consists of the constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1, is a top plan view of my said invention. Fig. 2, is a side elevation thereof, partly in central vertical longitudinal section.

In the drawings, 1 is a compass bowl pivotally supported by oppositelypositioned horizontal pivots 2 of any suitable construction upon a gimbal ring 3, which in turn is pivotally supported by oppositely positioned horizontal pivots (not shown) to any suitable support (not shown), as n the manner well known to the art. Said bowl is covered by a glass cover 4: and preferably is approximately filled with any suitable liquid, as is usual in ships compasses. "Within said bowl is a pontoon, or pontoons, 5 to which is attached a float 6. A magnetic needle 7 of any suitable construction or character is supported in said liquid by said pontoon or pontoons and float. If desired an annular compass card (not shown) may be carried within said liquid by said float and pontoons. Since the parts thus far described may be constructed in the usual manner of ships compasses, well known to the art, it is not deemed necessary to describe them in further detail.

In my said invention, said float is secured to a central vertical spindle or spindles 8, by which it is secured against horizontal displacement, the upper end of which spindle extends through a centrally positioned aperture or thimble 9 in said glass cover, and carries upon its upper end a horizontal card receiver 10, preferably constructed of aluminum or other light non-magnetic metal. Said card receiver is preferably provided at any suitable place or places with upwardly directed pins-11 adapted to engage notches or apertures in the hereinafter described record card and to hold the same against horizontal displacement with respect to its proper position plate or re ceiver.

12, is a record .card having a series of concentric circles ruled thereon. Said circles are respectively designated by numbers indicating certain hours or periods of time, or of day or night, preferably covering together a period of SlX hours, as either from 6 oclock to 12 oclock or from 12 oclock to 6oclock. If desired, other concentric circles may be ruled between the hour circles to represent the half and quarter hours, or other periods of time, such other circles being omitted from the drawing to avoid confusion. Outwardly of said time-indicating circles, are marked upon said cards the points of the compass, and said card is so placed upon said plate or receiver that the north point thereon will correspond with the pointing of the magnetic needle when the carrier or vessel is pursuing a north course as the needle points. Intersecting said concentric circles and eX- tending from the space in which said compass points are marked on said card to the center circle or to one of the inner circles thereon are a series of equally spaced lines each corresponding to the arc of a circle described by the hereinafter described pivoted record arm; each of said lines terminating outwardly opposite to a different one of said compass points; but said lines may be of any desired number in excess of the number terminating opposite the marked points and may, without marking, represent degrees, minutes or seconds between said points.

Mounted upon said bowl in any suitable manner, as upon a bracket 13 secured thereto, is a clockwork mechanism of any suitable structure, as comprising a case 1%, a main spring 15, a main wheel, 16, a pinion 17 driven by said main wheel, a sleeve 18 driven by said pinion 17, a pinion 19 and gear 20 driven by said sleeve, a gear wheel 21 driven by said pinion 19, an arbor 22 driven by said gear 21, a pinion 23 driven by said arbor 22, a gear wheel 21 driven by said pinion 23, an arbor 25 driven by said gear wheel 24, a pinion 26 driven by said arbor 25, a gear wheel 27 also driven by said pinion 23, an arbor 2S driven by said gear 27, an escapement wheel 29 driven by said arbor 28, a fork 30 engaging said escapement wheel at one end, and at its opposite end engaging a pin 31 upon a balance wheel 32, which balance wheel is governed by a balance spring 88. But such clock mechanism may be of any suitable construction, and I do not desire to be understood as limiting my said invention to the employment of the particular clock mechanism shown or described.

Pivotally secured in any suitable manner to said case is a horizontal record arm 34 extending outwardly over said record card and adapted to swing over such portion of said card as from time to time may be presented beneath it, according to the oscillation or rotation of the compass needle on its axis. Upon the outer end of said record arm is mounted a tracing instrument of any suitable structure or character, as a fountain pen 35 adapted in operation to mark or chart upon said card the actual compass course pursued by the vessel or carrier whereon said compass is carried and used. Upon the opposite end of said record arm is formed or secured a segmental rack 36 adapted to mesh with said pinion 26, whereby said record arm is swung upon its pivot, and the outer end caused to move across said card, either from the outer circle toward the inner circle, or vice versa, as predetermined. Beneath said record arm is preferably positioned a cam 37 adapted to lift and lower said record arm so that the marking pen will be brought into contact and lifted out of contact with the record card at regular intervals. Said cam is mountedon a cam shaft 38 which is provided at its opposite end with a pinion 39 adapted to mesh with said gear 20, whereby it is rotated. But said cam, cam shaft, pinion 39 and gear wheel :20 may be omitted if desired.

Upon the record card, Fig. 1, is shown in broken lines a hypothetical course as if traced by the marking pen, indicating that the carrier started on a northeasterly course and pursued such course for about a half an hour, and then swung rapidly to a northnorthwesterly course and pursued such course for about an hour, and then swung rapidly to a westerly course and pursued such course for about an hour, and then swung rapidly to a north-northeasterly course and pursued such course for about twenty minutes, and then turned slowly to a northerly course where the record terminates under the pen point. The course as so described is approximate only, since the index circles and radial or tangential curves and time marks and compass points on the record card indicated are, to avoid confusion, few in number; but in practice, the course and time consumed in swinging from one course to another, or in following any course may be very accurately determined.

In the drawings the clock mechanism and counterbalance X are obviously disproportionate to the size of the compass shown, and to avoid confusion teeth or cogs have not been shown on any of the pinions and gears, but in practice all these minor inaccuracies would be corrected in the manner well known to the art, and I do not desire to be understood as restricting myself to the particular clock-mechanism, or to the proportions of the parts shown.

The construction may be modified or altered in details within the spirit and scope of my claim.

What I claim is In a recording compass, the combination with a compass bowl or chamber, of a spin dle mounted therein and adapted to rotate or oscillate in opposite directions, a magnetic needle carried by said spindle for rotating or oscillating the same, a removable sheet adapted to receive a record and supported by said spindle and adapted to rotate or oscillate therewith, a recording arm extending over a portion of said chamber and provided with means for marking said sheet, said arm being pivoted at a point be yond the periphery of said sheet to a support carried by said bowl, and means supported by said bowl for swinging said record arm upon its pivot.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

MELVIN B. BENSON.

Witnesses NIELs NIssnN, JOHN W. NEUKoM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents,

Washington, D. 0. 

